Master of Arts in Political Science

Our Master of Arts in Political Science provides training in the core scholarly areas of political science, such as American government, international relations, comparative politics, and public policy, plus signature concentrations in security studies, European studies, and Middle East studies. Courses in the MA program serve as a foundation for work in a doctoral program or as preparation for a career in government, a nonprofit organization, or the private sector. Beyond the foundational courses of the MA degree, Master of Arts in Political Science students are offered a range of options including theoretical or practitioner-oriented courses, the pursuit of internships, the writing and submission of a research thesis, or the individualized exploration of a research topic through a directed study. Additionally students are allowed to explore the field with a more focused emphasis, working within one of our five core areas of research and practitioner expertise: American government and politics, comparative government and politics, international relations, public policy, and security studies.
With decades of outstanding scholarship, our MA students have gone on to pursue a wide range of opportunities. Many have used the degree as a foundation for doctoral work, taking advantage of the opportunity offered by our master's program to take higher-level research courses with doctorate-level students. Others have utilized the degree as an academic foundation to a career in government, including work at the federal, state, and local level, as well as work in international development or relations.
Beyond the foundational courses of the MA degree, Master of Arts in Political Science students are offered a range of options including theoretical or practitioner-oriented courses, the pursuit of internships, the writing and submission of a research thesis, or the individualized exploration of a research topic through a directed study. Additionally students are allowed to explore the field with a more focused emphasis, working within one of our five core areas of research and practitioner expertise: American government and politics, comparative government and politics, international relations, public policy, and security studies.

With decades of outstanding scholarship, our MA students have gone on to pursue a wide range of opportunities. Many have used the degree as a foundation for doctoral work, taking advantage of the opportunity offered by our master's program to take higher-level research courses with doctorate-level students. Others have utilized the degree as an academic foundation to a career in government, including work at the federal, state, and local level, as well as work in international development or relations.

Application
Application fee
Personal statement
Resume
Three letters of recommendation
Unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended
English proficiency for international applicants
GRE strongly encouraged for applicants with less than three years of professional experience
Writing sample
Target score 100 TOEFL iBT (or 7.0 IELTS or PTE equivalent)